December 17, 2004 - Endings and Beginnings
It's Friday and I'm posting the last of my semester assignments. I feel anxiety. I should feel some relief. Two weeks of no assignments due, no rush to get home in time for class chats, no guilty feelings if I'm not working on graduate work. Anxiety! That's what I'm feeling. It's odd to have all this time. I've been given the gift of time--at least for the next wo weeks. So, while this semester is coming to an end, I'm already awaiting the beginning of my next learning adventure. It's strange, but I feel as if I'm ending and beginning a new phase at work. In a way, I guess that I am. Perhaps this is how the cycles "feel." I've sent my "CoP" invitations. I have approximately 8 people interested in working together. I'm actually pleased with this number since these staff members really are giving up precious time. Many people responded that they'd be interested in participating during the summer, but not during the school year. There are several people who want to be kept informed and asked if they could participate even though they couldn't commit to being available for each meeting. It's a diverse group of people and I will need to spend time over the break to determine how to provide the value that's necessary to keep the group going. I hope to meet with the group either January 14th or January 21st. So, I believe that I have ended the first cycle and am ready to begin the next cycle. I had an idea of one way to add value at some point in time and I need to record that here. There are Non Public School Divisions in each Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania. I think that once our staff is comfortable with the technology, I'd like to bring other Non Pub Division staff members together so we can share our expertise, knowledge, and experience with others (like us) throughout the staff. It is such a unique division and service that we offer and I feel that it would be wonderful to bring us all together!